Hand fire extinguishers



aww t E. HERBERG HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ERNST HERBERG BY vmm ym ATTORNEYS Oct. 24, 1961 Filed Dec. 15, 1958 Oct. 24, 1961 E. HERBERG 3,005,495

HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Filed Dec. l5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvl-:NToR ERNST HERBERG ATTORNEYS 3,005,495 HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Ernst Herberg, .lamnitzerstrasse 15, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany Filed Dec. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 780,598 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 16, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl. 169-31) For extinguishing smaller fires, especially carburetor tires in motor vehicles, so-called hand fire extinguishers are used which are easily portable and can be rellled after use. After opening a valve by means of a small hand wheel, extinguishing liquid is projected under pressure and can be sprayed into the centre of the lire.

Many hand lire extinguishers heretofore available are open to the objection that they are ditlicult to manipulate and must be hung in a special holding device so that they are in a certain position. When carrying such extinguishers in a motor vehicle, there is always the danger that, in the event of an accident, the apparatus becomes jammed in its holder and cannot be removed therefrom. Owing to the shock which many people experience at the outbreak of a lire, it may easily happen that the extinguisher is wrongly handled and does not operate; thus, for example, the hand wheel may, in the agitation, be turned the wrong way and tightened instead of being unscrewed. Moreover, the hand wheel is diiiicult to turn, especially when the extinguisher has not been used for a long while. Another disadvantage is that the compressed gas container of the known extinguishers is sealed by stutling boxes which become defective in the course of time and then allow the compressed gas to escape. It spring loaded valves are used, the spring can fatigue in time with the result that the valve seat will leak and the compressed gas be lost.

The object of the invention is to overcome the abovementioned objections. Its aim is therefore to produce a practical hand lire extinguisher which is easy to operate and reliable and which serves at the same time as a defensive weapon which is of simple construction, cheap to produce and can be easily refilled after use.

To solve this problem, it is proposed, according to the invention, to construct the hand iire extinguisher in the form of a pistol, the internal space of which constitutes a container for the extinguishing liquid, and which has a compressed gas device connected lwith the trigger and serving for forcing the extinguishing liquid out at the front end of the pistol.

The pistol shape of the extinguisher primarily presents the advantage that it is possible to aim the extinguishing liquid accurately into the heart of the fire. In addition the pistol can also be used as a defensive weapon against attack, because the attacker will at iirst assume that it is a ball pistol and because the extinguishing liquid, for example chloropromethane, has a similar elfect to tear gas. By aiming the spray of extinguishing liquid, any attacker can be held at bay and rendered harmless at a distance of about 10 meters.

The extinguisher pistol according to the invention is operated just like any other pistol, by pressing a trigger. After use, the blowout foils titted on the apertures provided for the passage of the extinguishing liquid so that they cannot be damaged from outside, must be replaced by fresh ones so that the pistol can be reiilled with extinguishing liquid. A new compressed gas cartridge must also be screwed into the compressed gas device. The pistol can be carried without lweapon permit and can be easily accommodated, particularly in a motor car, so that it is always ready at hand, for example in the glove box, under a seat or in a side pocket, no special holding device being required.

In a further development of theinvention, a riser tube nited States Patent l screw closure, 14 ,is provided in the underside of the. pistol Patented Oct. 24, 1961 can be arranged in the inner space of the pistol so .that one end extends into the .pistol handle or butt and the other .end is connected to a nozzle constituting the muzzle of the pistol. For closing the nozzle blowout foils are preferably used .which are torn open at a certain pressure and allow the passage of the extinguishing liquid. In order, in the event of the nozzle failing to act, to provide another possible outlet for the extinguishing liquid under pressure, a reserve nozzle is arranged on the front end of the pistol under the main nozzle and is also connected up with the riser tube. An opening with a screw closure may be provided on the underside of the pistol butt for recharging the extinguishing'liquid. The compressedvgas device preferably consists of an exchangeable pressure gas container, for example an ordinary commercial carbonic acid gas cartridge, and `of a mechanism actuated by the trigger for opening the compressed gas container. This mechanism is at the same time provided with a system of passages through which the compressed gas can ilow into the extinguishing liquid container. The compressed gas container is closed by a blowout diaphragm which is pierced by a sharp-edged tube litted on the front end of a striker in the opening mechanism and thus allows the compressed gas to escape. The front end of the housing for the opening mechanism may be provided with a screw connection piece on which the gas container is screwed with the aid of a laterally slotted cap nut. The compressed air container is preferably fitted on a sleeve connected with the pistol housing on which it is fixed by a screw. The sleeve has an admission aperture for the extinguishing liquid container of the pistol which is also covered by a blowout foil. The compressed vgas device is protected by a cover cap which tits on the pistol housing. To prevent the trigger from being pulled unintentionally, a special safety device may be provided on the piston. This safety device preferably consists of a pivoted angle piece which in the safety position blocks a shoulder on the upper end of the trigger. The angle piece may be held in the housing of the compressed gas device by means of a screw supported by a spiral spring and carrying an adjustable safety vane. A set screw can be provided in the shoulder of the trigger for adjusting the trigger.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the description of an embodiment of the invention illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l shows the extinguisher pistol in longitudinal section;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are top plan views of the compressed gas device of the pistol with the trigger in its two extreme positions, and

FIG. 4 is a section through a safety device for the trigger, taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

The pistol illustrated in FIG. 1 consists substantially of a housing 1 constructed as container for the extinguishing liquid and a compressed gas device 2 which is arranged below the pistol barrel. A riser tube 3 extends inside the pistol housing 1 Iwith one end, on which a strainer 4 is fitted, projecting into the pistol butt 5. The other end of the riser tube 3 ends in a nozzle 6 on the front end 7 of the pistol. This nozzle is closed by a blowout foil 8 which is held in position by a tubular slotted nut 10 screwed into a tube length 9. A reserve nozzle 11, iitted under the nozzle 6 and closed by a blowout foil 12, communicates with the nozzle 6 through a connecting passage 13 and becomes operative in the event of failure of the nozzle 6. The blowout foil 12 of the reserve nozzle bursts only under a somewhat higher pressure than the blowout foil 8 of the nozzle 6, that is it is made stronger than the latter. An aperture with a butt 5 for recharging the pistol with extinguisher liquid. Sight notch and bead 16 on the upper side of the pistol are intended to enable good aiming.

The compressed. gas device 2, consisting of the compressed gas container 17 and opening mechanism 18, serves for forcing the extinguishing liquid out of the nozzle 6 and is controlled by the trigger 19. The compressed gas container 17 is screwed on to the front end of the housing 22 of the opening mechanism 18 with the aid of a cap nut which is laterally slotted to allow its introduction, whereas the trigger 19 is mounted on the other end of the housing. The compressed gas container 17 is covered by a metal diaphragm 23 which is pressed by a cap nut 24 against the outlet of the container 17. A striker 25 is located within the housing 22 and can be pressed forward by the trigger 19. The striker 25 has at its front end a bore 26 in which a small tube 27 is fitted which is sloped and sharp edged at its front end so that, on the trigger 19 being pulled back, the metal membrane 23 of the compressed gas container 17 is pierced.

The compressed gas device 2 is held by means of a screw 29 on la sleeve 28 slotted to receive the striker 25, which sleeve is xed on the pistol and projects into the extinguishing liquid compartment. The screw 29 has a central bore provided with screw thread in which a screw 30 engages for holding the cover cap 31 for the compressed gas device 2. The sleeve 28 has an outlet aperture 32 which is covered by a blowout foil 34 held in position by means of a screw ring 33 and serving to prevent the extinguishing uid from entering the compressed gas device 2. The bore 26 in the striker 25 communicates with the sleeve 28 by means of a transverse bore 35 to allow the compressed gas to flow into the sleeve.

To lock the trigger 19 an angle piece 36 is provided which can be turned by means of a safety vane 37 (FIG. 2) and, in the safety position, bears against a shoulder 38 onthe trigger. A set screw 391 projecting through the shoulder 38 serves for adjusting the trigger 19. The angle piece 36 is held so that it can turn in the housing 22 of the opening mechanism 18 by means of a screw 40 with a spring 41. The screw 40 and spring 41 are passed through a bore in the cover cap 31 of the compressed gas device 2. A detachable guard 42 is arranged around the trigger 19 to protect the same.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 the compressed gas device 2 is shown which is composed of the separate parts, compressed gas container 17, cap nut 20, opening mechanism 18 and trigger 19. A through-bore 43 is provided in the housing 22 of the opening mechanism for the laterally slotted sleeve 28. The slot in the sleeve 28 serves for receiving the striker 25 when tting the compressed gas `device on the sleeve.

The extinguisher pistol operates in the. following manner:

In the event of a fire breaking out, the safety vane 37 is thrown over to prepare the pistol for firing and the trigger 19 is then pulled towards the rear. Thereby the tube 27 on the striker 25 yis pressed through the metal diaphragm 23 of the compressed gas container 17. The compressed gas now ilows through the bores 26 and 35 into the sleeve 28; there it blows the blowout foil and can then enter the extinguishing liquid container in the pistol housing 1. The extinguishing liquid which is now under pressure, is forced through the strainer 4 into the riser tube 3 and thus enters the nozzle 6, there bursts the blowout foil 8 and sprays out of the pistol. It the nozzle 6 is clogged or fails to operate, the extinguishing liquid can pass through the connecting passage 13 and out through the reserve nozzle 11.

When the pistol has been emptied, the blowout foils 8 and 34 must first be renewed so that the pistol can be recharged with extinguishing fuel, for which purpose the screw closure 14 is removed and the liquid poured in.

The compressed gas container 17 must also be renewed, whichis effected by unscrewing the screw 30 from the 4 screw 29 so that, after removal of the safety device for the trigger, the cover cap 31 can be taken off. When the screw 29 has been removed, the compressed gas device 2, that is the pressure gas container 17, opening mechanism 18 and trigger 19, are pulled 01T the sleeve 28 and a new pressure gas container 17 iixed on the screwthreaded connecting piece 21 is screwed on to the housing 22 of the opening mechanism. After a new blowout foil 34 has been tted in the sleeve 28 the compressed gas device 2 is again slipped on to the sleeve 28 and secured by means of the screw 29. Then the cover cap 31 is placed over the compressed gas device 2 and held in position by means of the screw 30. Finally the screw 40 with spring 41 and safety vane 37 are screwed on to the angle piece 36.

With the aid of the blowout foils, the extinguishing liquid container is Well Sealed and, even if the pistol is not used for a long time, its perfect operation is ensured.

I claim:

1. A combined hand tire-extinguisher and weapon comprising: a pistol simulating housing for containing re extinguishing fluid, said housing including a barrel portion and a grip portion; means lfor passing the re extinguishing uid from said housing including a nozzle positioned in the forward end of said Ibarrel portion; a`

rupturable lfoil closing said nozzle; a compressed gas container on said housing; a trigger mounted for swingable movement on said housing; a striker actuated by movel ment of said trigger for puncturing said compressed gas container; means supporting said compressed gas container and said striker on said housing, said last mentioned means including an aperture therethrough for establishing uid communication between said gas container land said housing; and a rupturable foil in said aperture.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said compressed gas container and said `striker are mounted under said barrel portion.

3. -A combined hand tire extinguisher land weapon corn- -prisingz a pistol simulating housing for containing fire extinguishing fluid, said housing including a barrel portionl and a grip portion; means yfor passing the hre extinguishing fluid from said housing including a nozzle positioned in the forward end of said barrel portion; Ia rupturable foil closing said nozzle; a riser tube extending from said nozzle into the grip portion of said housing; and means supplying gas under pressure into said housing to force.

the extinguishing Huid through said tube and rupture said foil whereby rthe iluid `is projected through said nozzle.

4. A combined hand re extinguisher and weapon cornprising: -a pistol simulating housing for containing iire extinguishing uid, said housing including a barrel portion and a grip portion; means for passing the fire extinguishing liquid from said housing including a main nozzle positioned in the `forward end of said barrel portion; fa rupturable foil closing said main nozzle; a reserve nozzle also positioned in the forward end of said barrel portion land a foil closing said reserve nozzle rupturable at pressures in excess of those normally rupturing the foil closing said main nozzle.

5. The apparatus defined in claim l including releasable means engaging the trigger preventing inadvertent swinging thereof.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the means supporting the container and striker under the barrel includes a removable screw.

7.V The apparatus recited in lclaim 2 including a removable cover cap in cooperation with the barrel portion of the housing encloses the container and the striker and the means which suppo-rts the container and the striker under the barrel portion of the housing.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,634,976 Burke July 5, 1927 1,988,637 Tinkham lan. 22, 1935 2,755,865 Jacobs July 24, 1956 

